This has been a week of learning for me.
Some things I have learned have been small delights, some re-discoveries, and some heartbreaks.
Delights: These are little things, I know. But sometimes little things can create a nice sense of accomplishment.
I have been working on a workshop that will be produced and promoted digitally and need to record some overhead shots of my hands doing things with surface design on fabric. I confess. I fiddled around with using my existing tripod in ways that were destined not to work. I finally gave in and purchased this very inexpensive overhead tripod and light set-up from Walmart. Ting!
Now I’m a video pro.
I also learned how to run a zoom meeting with two different cameras: one to interact with attendees as a talking head, and then a second to switch to a work-in -progress image so I can demonstrate technique. It’s surprisingly easy.
Who knew?
Do you remember learning how to drive a stick shift? How to balance your checkbook? How to make lump-free gravy? Small accomplishments can be very rewarding. They can give you a sense of agency. They can help you get over fears to tackle more new things.
So, celebrate if you learn to perform a new task.
Re-discovery: The way unexpected elements can go together—and work! In the large quilt-in-progress which is in part son my easel, I have one completed section. Some sun-printed fabrics and a photo transfer of a gate are near to one another. I’m not quite sure why I thought they would work. But I think they do.
As I wrote last week, this WIP is a large quilt that will have a lot of surface painting on it. So this section may change. For now, I am enjoying the interest of unlike things complementing one another.
Heartbreaking learning: I saw these images online this week from NPR news. Employees of the National Park Service taking down educational materials that are designed to educate people about the United States’ history of slavery. Our current administration does not want there to be any teaching of things that might make us look bad.
I am appalled and embarrassed that these changes have reached historical and educational organizations.
More than ever, artists: make art! Make art that speaks truth.
. . . . . . . . .
For all of us: focus each day
on the good that needs to be done in the world.
Be part of doing it.
Thank you for reading. I always enjoy questions and comments.
--Bobbi
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